Forums » Suggestions
Make the page links for long threads fit
When looking at a list of threads, those that have many pages end up with their page links being cut off since the board lists links to every page, making the process of reaching the current page of discussion take extra clicks. The solution is to only include links for the first and last couple pages, e.g. [1 2 ... 16 17 last ]
There would still be occasional cases where the last links still get cut off due to the thread name itself being long, but that's easy to fix. Just have the code that populates the thread list check if there are multiple pages, and if so only output the first 40 or so characters of the thread title rather than the whole thing. (It can continue outputting the whole thing for single-page threads.)
This doesn't account for variance between font sizes, but it should be close enough and probably takes less work than designing a more flexible solution.
There would still be occasional cases where the last links still get cut off due to the thread name itself being long, but that's easy to fix. Just have the code that populates the thread list check if there are multiple pages, and if so only output the first 40 or so characters of the thread title rather than the whole thing. (It can continue outputting the whole thing for single-page threads.)
This doesn't account for variance between font sizes, but it should be close enough and probably takes less work than designing a more flexible solution.
While you're at it, also consider a responsive layout for the website. Mobile users will LOVE you for it.
Another solution would be to put the [1 2 ... 16 17 last ] under the thread title.
Developing your own engine for a 3D space shooter if that is your core business? Sure, why not.
Writing your own forum software because you somehow feel that none of the existing solutions is suitable for your very special community? What were you thinking???
(I once wrote forum software in Perl for an innovative online music education project. In 1998...)
Writing your own forum software because you somehow feel that none of the existing solutions is suitable for your very special community? What were you thinking???
(I once wrote forum software in Perl for an innovative online music education project. In 1998...)
They were probably thinking that rolling their own would make it easier to integrate with the game database, while also making it easier to trust that the software is secure. And it's not like it's hard to write a forum.
Well, apparently it is :) How long did it take them to fix large image abuse, and why are there still so many little annoyances (reply goes back to page 1, logging in does not return to thread you were watching, no quote, strange delete policies, etc). Also, I don't really see integration with the game database except for a loose coupling of accounts.
People always like to stress how they're a small shop - so even if writing a forum is not hard (although writing a good forum is a lot harder, as with everything!) it distracts them from their core business; or rather, it doesn't, and we end up with a crappy forum. Poor us!
People always like to stress how they're a small shop - so even if writing a forum is not hard (although writing a good forum is a lot harder, as with everything!) it distracts them from their core business; or rather, it doesn't, and we end up with a crappy forum. Poor us!
reply goes back to page 1, logging in does not return to thread you were watching
These things actually worked before the website re-skin that was done by whoever Squadcar is.
no quote
Wouldn't be hard to add, should have been added when the italica/bold/img etc things were but was not. Design decision maybe?
strange delete policies
If you mean that deleting the first post in a thread doesn't delete the thread, I actually like this feature.
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I actually find the forum fit for purpose. We do not need private messages, or signatures, or avatars or any of the security holes that come with using pre-made software like phpBB or SMF. They DO have holes that are regularly found (php/sql injection springs to mind) and these problems would have to be dealt with by the devs, taking time away from the real issue, game design. I'd rather have a clunky, but secure forum that is usable for its intended purpose, rather than one that has to be constantly updated/patched/un-borked.
Sure, it could do with a few tweaks, but none of the issues you mention stop us using it for it's intended purpose; talking about the game. Also it is tightly integrated with the game db. If you get muted in game, you also lose forum posting privileges without any further action needed.
These things actually worked before the website re-skin that was done by whoever Squadcar is.
no quote
Wouldn't be hard to add, should have been added when the italica/bold/img etc things were but was not. Design decision maybe?
strange delete policies
If you mean that deleting the first post in a thread doesn't delete the thread, I actually like this feature.
----
I actually find the forum fit for purpose. We do not need private messages, or signatures, or avatars or any of the security holes that come with using pre-made software like phpBB or SMF. They DO have holes that are regularly found (php/sql injection springs to mind) and these problems would have to be dealt with by the devs, taking time away from the real issue, game design. I'd rather have a clunky, but secure forum that is usable for its intended purpose, rather than one that has to be constantly updated/patched/un-borked.
Sure, it could do with a few tweaks, but none of the issues you mention stop us using it for it's intended purpose; talking about the game. Also it is tightly integrated with the game db. If you get muted in game, you also lose forum posting privileges without any further action needed.
As much as I hate megathreads with pages that go on forever, the forum should at least remain usable when this happens...
As for the reply page 1 thing, that's a really easy fix... I do this by hand all the time.
As for the reply page 1 thing, that's a really easy fix... I do this by hand all the time.
vanatteveldt, given how slow the devs are to correct simple issues with this forum, why do you think they would be any more responsive about keeping a third party forum installation up to date? Maintaining a phpBB board for ten years would be a lot more effort than just fixing the few issues this board has.
Regarding delete policies, I agree with yoda. I only have one complaint and I'll go make a new thread for that.
Regarding delete policies, I agree with yoda. I only have one complaint and I'll go make a new thread for that.
As for the reply page 1 thing, that's a really easy fix... I do this by hand all the time.
I think the squadecar people should fix it.
They broke it. It DID work before. In fact I've offered them money to come fix it, even though they broke it.
I think the squadecar people should fix it.
They broke it. It DID work before. In fact I've offered them money to come fix it, even though they broke it.
Thanks for your email Yoda! I am Squadcar.
Sorry the forum is broken a bit, but honestly all I did was reskin. Any logic/functionality was baked in before, and works the same as it did. And to be honest, it was what, 4-5 years ago now? Hard to say what happened between then and now, lots of updates to the website have happened, and I really haven't been involved since the launch.
Also, $20? Thanks for the offer, but I think I'll let John and the gang sort this one out :P
Sorry the forum is broken a bit, but honestly all I did was reskin. Any logic/functionality was baked in before, and works the same as it did. And to be honest, it was what, 4-5 years ago now? Hard to say what happened between then and now, lots of updates to the website have happened, and I really haven't been involved since the launch.
Also, $20? Thanks for the offer, but I think I'll let John and the gang sort this one out :P
Not to mention that the warranty period for any work on the forum project performed by Squadcar would be long-since passed. The defect would have had to have been identified within the warranty period to be part of the scope of the forum re-skin project,even if it did not occur before the re-skin, which we have no way of verifying now.
Hehe, Gavan, it was more of a joke than anything :P And I didn't say US dollars, I could have meant them crappy canadian ones, or even worse, aussie money!